Abstract
The impact of the tailing dams and the economic feasibility of the remediation process is significant for future risk management for tailing dams. In this research, we develop a hypothetical failure scenario for a tailing dam in the Jinding mining area, Southwest China. We assess the exposure with the Geo-Environmental Risk Assessment System, tier-1 model, and health impact with Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY). Cost and benefit are also analyzed for the following clean-up process. The result shows that the exposure dose (mg/kg–BW/d) of As, Cd, and Pb right after the dam failure is 1.07 × 10–2 for As, 1.76 × 10–4 for Cd, and 5.68 × 10–3 for Pb, respectively. The DALY caused by heavy metal exposure is 2.63 × 10–2 DALY per year, which significantly exceeds the tolerable level. This indicates that the tailing dam failure will pose a high health risk to the residents, and remediation is necessary. After remediation, the DALY is 1.24 × 10–8 DALY per year, indicating the clean-up process effectively reduces the resident’s health impact. From the financial point of view, the net present value of the clean-up is $− 1.02 × 107. This indicates that the clean-up process is not economically feasible. Sensitivity analysis shows that the amount of released tailing influences the output result. The time span for benefit estimation is also an important issue. This research shows that the impact of a tailing dam failure will be severe, and remediation may be effective but economically infeasible. Therefore, preventing tailing dam failure is the most crucial task for the local government.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Akoto, O., Bortey-Sam, N., Nakayama, S. M. M., Ikenaka, Y., Baidoo, E., Apau, J., Marfo, J. T., & Ishizuka, M. (2018). Characterization, spatial variation and risk assessment of heavy metals and a metalloid in surface soils in Obuasi, Ghana. Journal of Health and Pollution, 8(19), 14–19. https://doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614-8.19.180902
Barcelos, D. A., Pontes, F. V. M., da Silva, F. A. N. G., Castro, D. C., dos Anjos, N. O. A., & Castilhos, Z. C. (2020). Gold mining tailing: Environmental availability of metals and human health risk assessment. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 397(January), 122721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122721
Brand, E., Otte, P. F., & Lijzen, J. P. A. (2007). CSOIL 2000 an exposure model for human risk assessment of soil contamination. A model description. http://hdl.handle.net/10029/13385
Buch, A. C., Niemeyer, J. C., Marques, E. D., & Silva-Filho, E. V. (2021). Ecological risk assessment of trace metals in soils affected by mine tailings. Journal of Hazardous Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.123852
Chandra, R., Dubey, N., & Kumar, V. (2017). Phytoremediation of environmental pollutants. CRC Press (taylor and Francis Group). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315161549
Chen, T. (2002). Arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris Vittata L. and its arsenic ac-cumulation. Chinese Science Bulletin, 47(11), 902–905. https://doi.org/10.1360/02tb9202
Cheng, X., Danek, T., Drozdova, J., Huang, Q., Qi, W., Zou, L., Yang, S., Zhao, X., & Xiang, Y. (2018). Soil heavy metal pollution and risk assessment associated with the Zn–Pb mining region in Yunnan, Southwest China. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 190(4), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6574-x
Dong, L., Deng, S., & Wang, F. (2020). Some developments and new insights for environmental sustainability and disaster control of tailings dam. Journal of Cleaner Production, 269(932), 122270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122270
Duan, X., Beijing, T., Cao, S., & Beijing, T. (2015). Highlights of the Chinese exposure factors handbook. In Highlights of the Chinese exposure factors handbook (Issue January 2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/c2014-0-03838-5
Frey, H. C., & Patil, S. R. (2002). Identification and review of sensitivity analysis methods. Risk Analysis, 22(3), 553–578. https://doi.org/10.1111/0272-4332.00039
FRTR. (2012). Remediation technologies screening matrix and reference guide, version 4.0. Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable, Washington, DC.
Gallart, F., Benito, G., Martín-Vide, J. P., Benito, A., Prió, J. M., & Regüés, D. (1999). Fluvial geomorphology and hydrology in the dispersal and fate of pyrite mud particles released by the Aznalcollar mine tailings spill. Science of the Total Environment, 242(1–3), 13–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(99)00373-3
Cooperative Research Centre for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment (CRC CARE). (2018). Guideline on performing cost-benefit and sustainability analysis of remediation options (IssueAugust).https://www.crccare.com/files/dmfile/GuidelineonpeformingCBandSAofremediationoptions_Rev0.pdf
He, X., Bao, Y., Nan, H., Xiong, D., Wang, L., Liu, Y., & Zhao, J. (2009). Tillage pedogenesis of purple soils in Southwestern China. Journal of Mountain Science, 6(2), 205–210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-009-1038-y
Hudson-Edwards, K. A., Macklin, M. G., Jamieson, H. E., Brewer, P. A., Coulthard, T. J., Howard, A. J., & Turner, J. N. (2003). The impact of tailings dam spills and clean-up operations on sediment and water quality in river systems: The Ríos Agrio-Guadiamar, Aznalcóllar Spain. Applied Geochemistry, 18(2), 221–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0883-2927(02)00122-1
Huysegoms, L., Rousseau, S., & Cappuyns, V. (2018). Friends or foes? monetized life cycle assessment and cost-benefit analysis of the site remediation of a former gas plant. Science of the Total Environment, 619–620, 258–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.330
Huysegoms, L., Rousseau, S., & Cappuyns, V. (2019). Chemical or natural? Including LCA in social CBA to compare remediation alternatives for a dry-cleaning facility. Sustainability (switzerland), 11(7), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11071975
Ishihara, K., Ueno, K., Yamada, S., Yasuda, S., & Yoneoka, T. (2015). Breach of a tailings dam in the 2011 earthquake in Japan. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, 68, 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2014.10.010
Jin, X. (2017). Spatial distribution, sources and pollution assessment of heavy metals in Small Scale Farmland Soil- A case study of a farmland in Bijiang Watershed of Yunnan Province. Kunming University of Science and Tecnnology.
Kawabe, Y., Komai, T., & Sakamoto, Y. (2003). Exposure estimation of heavy metals in Japan-risk analysis by geo-environmental risk assessment model-. Shigen-to-Sozai, 119(6/7), 427–433. https://doi.org/10.2473/shigentosozai.119.427
Norihiro Kobayashi. (2006). Lead-Detailed Risk Assessment Handbook Series 9 (“鉛 [詳細リスク評価書シリーズ 9]” in Japanese).
Lavee, D. (2012). A cost-benefit analysis of relocating a polluting factory. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 55(7), 901–919. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2011.632677
Li, Z., Deblon, J., Zu, Y., Colinet, G., Li, B., & He, Y. (2019). Geochemical baseline values determination and evaluation of heavy metal contamination in soils of lanping mining valley (Yunnan province, China). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(23), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16234686
Liu, J., Liu, R., Zhang, Z., Cai, Y., & Zhang, L. (2019). A Bayesian Network-based risk dynamic simulation model for accidental water pollution discharge of mine tailings ponds at watershed-scale. Journal of Environmental Management, 246, 821–831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.060
Liu, H., Probst, A., & Liao, B. (2005). Metal contamination of soils and crops affected by the Chenzhou lead/zinc mine spill (Hunan, China). Science of the Total Environment, 339(1–3), 153–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.07.030
Liu, R., Liu, J., Zhang, Z., Borthwick, A., & Zhang, K. (2015). Accidental water pollution risk analysis of mine tailings ponds in Guanting reservoir Watershed, Zhangjiakou city, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(12), 15269–15284. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph121214983
Liu, S., Chai, B., Du, J., Luo, F., & Xiao, L. (2020). Risk post-assessment and management of a waste slag site under extreme scenarios. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 79(5), 2659–2677. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-019-01697-7
Lopez, A. D., Mathers, C. D., Ezzati, M., Jamison, D. T., Murray, C. J. L., & Asia, S. (2006). Global burden of disease and risk factors editors and pacific the caribbean. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/41864/1/0965546608_eng.pdf
Lyu, Z., Chai, J., Xu, Z., Qin, Y., & Cao, J. (2019). A comprehensive review on reasons for tailings dam failures based on case history. Advances in Civil Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/4159306
Masuyama, M. (1977). Individual variability of age of onset of intractable disease and incubation period of infectious disease. Reports Statistical Application Research, 24, 200–206.
Mcdermott, R. K., & Sibley, J. M. (2000). The Aznalcóllar Tailings Dam accident: A case study. Mineral Resources Engineering, 09(01), 101–118. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0950609800000111
Morillo, J., Usero, J., & Gracia, I. (2005). Study of fractionation and potential mobility of metal from the Guadalquivir estuary: Changes in mobility with time and influence of the Aznalcollar mining spill. Environmental Management, 36(1), 162–173. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0216-5
Murray, C. J. L. (1994). Global burden of disease Le poids de la morbidite dans le monde quantifying the burden of disease: the technical basis for disability-adjusted life years. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 72(3), 429–445.
Nakanishi, J., Masunaga, S., & Matsuda, H. (2003). Calculation of environmental risk (“演習環境リスクを計算する” in Japanese).
Nišiç, D., Kneževiç, D., & Liliç, N. (2018). Assessment of risks associated with the operation of the tailings storage facility veliki krivelj, bor (Serbia). Archives of Mining Sciences, 63(1), 165–181. https://doi.org/10.2442/118893
Nišić, D. (2021). Preliminary risk assessment of dam failure at the location of the cukaru peki deposit, bor (Serbia). Minerals, 11(10), 1126. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11101126
Nordberg, G. F., & Strangert., P. (1976). Estimations of a dose-response curve for long-term exposure to methylmercuric compounds in human beings taking into account variability of critical organ concentration and biolgoical half-time: A preliminary communication. Effects and Dose-Response Relationships of Toxic Metals. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 273–282.
Del Río, M., Font, R., Montoro, R., Velez, D., & De Haro, A. (2004). Using wild and cultivated plants to remove pollutants in soils contaminated by the toxic spill of the aznalcóllar mine (Seville, Southern Spain). Acta Horticulturae, 639, 377–383. https://doi.org/10.1766/ActaHortic.2004.639.50
Sá, F., Longhini, C. M., Costa, E. S., da Silva, C. A., Cagnin, R. C., de Oliveira Gomes, L. E., Lima, A. T., Bernardino, A. F., & Neto, R. R. (2021). Time-sequence development of metal(loid)s following the 2015 dam failure in the Doce river estuary. Brazil. Science of the Total Environment, 769, 144532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144532
Statista (2022). Average number of people living in households in China from 1990 to 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/278697/average-size-of-households-in-china/
Stewart, R. N., & Purucker, S. T. (2011). An environmental decision support system for spatial assessment and selective remediation. Environmental Modelling & Software, 26(6), 751–760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2010.12.010
Tang, Q., Bao, Y., He, X., Zhou, H., Cao, Z., Gao, P., Zhong, R., Hu, Y., & Zhang, X. (2014). Sedimentation and associated trace metal enrichment in the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir China. Science of the Total Environment, 479–480(1), 258–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.01.122
Tuyishimire, E., Cui, J., Tang, X., Sun, Z., & Cheng, J. (2022). Interactive effects of honeysuckle planting and biochar amendment on soil structure and hydraulic properties of hillslope farmland. Agriculture, 12(3), 414. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12030414
U.S. EPA. (1987). Cadmium; CASRN 7440-43-9. 1–11. https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris/iris_documents/documents/subst/0141_summary.pdf
U.S. EPA. (1988). Arsenic, inorganic; CASRN 7440-38-2. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) U.S. Chemical Assessment Summary National Center for Environmental Assessment, 27.
Walker, D., & Fox-Rushby, J. A. (2001). Allowing for uncertainty in economic evaluations. Health Policy and Planning, 16(4), 435–443.
Wan, X., Lei, M., & Chen, T. (2016). Cost–benefit calculation of phytoremediation technology for heavy-metal-contaminated soil. Science of the Total Environment, 563–564, 796–802. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.080
Weicong, M., Jikong, L., Zhou, D., Lihong, Y., & Zhongli, H. (2014). Yunnan Agriculture Yearbook 2013 (in Chinese). Yunnan people’s Publishing House.
WHO. (2010). Health-based targets-WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. 1–8.
Wu, F. Y., Ye, Z. H., Wu, S. C., & Wong, M. H. (2007b). Metal accumulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal status in metallicolous and nonmetallicolous populations of Pteris vittata L. and Sedum alfredii Hance. Planta, 226(6), 1363–1378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-007-0575-2
Xie, G. D., Lu, C. X., Leng, Y. F., Zheng, D. U., & Li, S. C. (2003). Ecological assets valuation of the Tibetan Plateau. Journal of Natural Resources, 18(2), 189–196. https://doi.org/10.1188/HumanNat.tpdc.271892
Xue, C., Zeng, R., Liu, S., Chi, G., Qing, H., Chen, Y., Yang, J., & Wang, D. (2007). Geologic, fluid inclusion and isotopic characteristics of the Jinding Zn-Pb deposit, western Yunnan, South China: A review. Ore Geology Reviews, 31(1–4), 337–359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2005.04.007
Yang, X., Long, X., Ni, W., & Fu, C. (2002). Sedum alfredii H: A new Zn hyperaccumulating plant first found in China. Chinese Science Bulletin, 47(19), 1634–1637. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03184113
Zhao, X., Duan, X., Wang, B., & Cao, S. Z. (2016). Environmental exposure related activity patterns survey of Chinese population (children). China Environmental Science Press: Beijing, China.
Zheng, Z.-J., Lin, M.-Y., Chiueh, P.-T., & Lo, S.-L. (2019). Framework for determining optimal strategy for sustainable remediation of contaminated sediment: A case study in Northern Taiwan. Science of the Total Environment, 654, 822–831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.152
Acknowledgements
This research was performed by the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (JPMEERF18S11702) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency of Japan. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) and the Chinese scholarship community (CSC) are acknowledged for providing scholarships for the researcher (No. 191553).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Z.X.: Conceptualization, Data curation, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Visualization, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing; A.T.: Methodology, Funding acquisition, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation; L.S.M. & L.I.: Methodology, Validation.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests. All authors have approved this submission, and none of the authors declare any conflicts of interest in the work performed or in the submission of the manuscript.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Xu, Z., Ito, L., dos Muchangos, L. et al. Health risk assessment and cost–benefit analysis of agricultural soil remediation for tailing dam failure in Jinding mining area, SW China. Environ Geochem Health 45, 3759–3775 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-022-01445-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-022-01445-z